When is a herb, not a herb but a spice? Actually whilst we are on the subject when is an herb, not only a spice but also a vegetable? When it’s Fennel that’s when. Yep, Fennel is not just an herb but it’s also a spice depending on the variety of vegetables.

Fennel in French is pronounced Fenouil. Fennel came into old English from the old French word fenoil which in turn came from the Latin word faeniculum, a diminutive of faenum, meaning "hay".

Fennel, with its delicate aroma and distinct licorice-like flavor, has been an integral part of French cuisine for centuries. From the kitchens of Michelin-starred restaurants to traditional home cooking, fennel plays a significant role in enhancing the flavors of various French dishes. Let's delve into the origin and history of fennel in France and explore its versatile uses in the country's culinary traditions.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean region. It’s a flowering plant species that is part of the carrot family. This hardy herb has yellow flowers and feathery-like leaves.

Dill, Coriander, Ajwain, and Caraway are all similar-looking herbs but shorter growing than fennel. Dill has thread-like feathery leaves and yellow flowers, coriander and caraway have white flowers and are shorter-lived than fennel. The similarity in the look of the seeds from these plants means that often the names are shared such as in the case of meridian fennel which is a term for caraway, not fennel.

Indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean its journey to France can be traced back to ancient times when the Romans introduced it to the region. The Romans greatly valued fennel for its medicinal properties and used it extensively in their cooking. Now the plant has become widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially where the soils are dry near the coast or riverbanks.

In Australia where the plant was introduced is considered a weed when in the wild. It propagates well by both rood crown and seed which is great for gardeners wanting to grow at home. But it can in the wild in countries where it has been introduced drastically alter the composition and structure of many plant communities and can be invasive in natural grasslands, coastal shrubs, and wetlands with horrible effects.

Fennel is widely cultivated in the south of France, especially in the Var, Vaucluse, Drôme, and Ardèche. Even though it’s originally from the Mediterranean Fennel is produced mostly in non-European countries with India producing more than 50% of the world’s production followed by China, Bulgaria, Iran, Mexico, and Syria.

Fennel was prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans who used it as medicine, food, and even insect repellent. Fennel tea was believed to give courage to the warriors before a battle. In Greek mythology, Prometheus used a giant stalk of fennel to carry fire from Mount Olympus to the earth.

In fact, Roman Emperor Charlemagne loved fennel so much and believed in it that he required all imperial farms to cultivate fennel. The Romans actually bought Fennel to Great Britain when they invaded, they were using the seeds as a breath refreshment at the time.

In France, there was a highly successful TV comedy series called Kaamelott that ran from 2005-2009. It highlights the lives of King Arthur and his round table and in one episode of the fourth series the lords Perceval and Karadoc came up with a hilarious new fighting technique. The fennel fight which can be found in memes and videos on the internet still today.

Fennels are a highly flavourful herb that has an anise-like taste. There are many different varieties of fennel hence the confusion of it being a herb, spice, or vegetable. The Florence Fennel or Finocchio is what we know as a vegetable. It has a bulb-like stem that can be used in a variety of ways in cooking. Florence Fennel is one of the three main ingredients used in the preparation of the French liqueur Absinthe.

But you also have the common fennel which is what we know as the fennel herb. It has an erect stem that grows up to 2.5 meters tall or over 8 feet. The herb has hollow stems and leaves that can grow up to 40 centimeters long. It looks a little like Dill but thinner.

Fennel doesn’t play well with others so it’s not a good companion in the veggie patch. It doesn’t like the company of tomatoes, cabbages, beans, peas, shallots, squash, spinach, absinthe, coriander, caraway, beans, tarragon, or parsnips. It tolerates drought quite well but doesn’t like frost at all.

The flowers on the fennel herb are wide and have between 20-50 small tiny yellow flowers on short pedicels. They then fruit and then produce a seed within the fruit that we all know as fennel seeds. These seeds are used in cuisines around the world.

Fennel provides many benefits to your health. Fennel has been used medicinally to relieve childhood colic, treat digestive disorders, flatulence, lack of appetite, menstrual pain, and even stimulate lactation.

Over time, fennel found its way into the fertile soils of France, where it thrived and became an essential ingredient in the local cuisine. Fennel's unique flavor profile has earned it a special place in French cooking. The various parts of the fennel plant, including the bulb, fronds, and seeds, are utilized in different culinary applications. Thomas Jefferson once proclaimed that Florence fennel was his favorite vegetable.

The bulb, with its crisp texture and mild anise taste, is a versatile vegetable used in both raw and cooked preparations. In France, it is often shaved thinly and added to salads, lending a refreshing crunch and subtle sweetness. Roasted or braised fennel bulbs are popular as side dishes or additions to stews, imparting a delicate flavor to the overall dish.

The feathery fronds of fennel, reminiscent of dill, possess a concentrated flavor and are often used as a garnish. They add a touch of freshness to seafood dishes, soups, and sauces. Fennel fronds are also utilized in herbal infusions and aromatic oils, enhancing the overall sensory experience.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem in 1842 called The Goblet of Life which repeatedly refers to fennel and mentions its purported ability to strengthen eyesight:

Above the lower plants, it towers,
The Fennel with its yellow flowers;
And in an earlier age than ours
Was gifted with the wondrous powers
Lost vision to restore.

But I think one of the best uses of Fennel in the literal world is by Francois Le Lionnais who created the one-word poem Fenouil. It goes like this.

Fenouil.

Yep that’s it, interesting, I really feel that Francois put a lot of effort into this don’t you? Not that I’m a literal critic or anything.